Glass molding machine



May 9, 1950 c. F. M. HAYES GLASS MOLDING MACHINE 5 Shee tsSheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1.944

ATTORN EY y 9, 1950 c. F. M. HAYES 2,507,441

GLASS MOLDING MACHINE Filed NOV. 9, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R N EY y 1950 c. F. M. HAYES 2,507,441

GLASS MOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY May 9, 1950 c. F. M. HAYES 2,507,441

GLASS MOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 aim ATTORNEY May 9, 1950 c. F. M. HAYES 2,507,441

GLASS MOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 194.4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR CH/i/ lfj F/PfDf/Q/C MARO /A/VTH/IYZU ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1950 GLASS MOLDING Charles Frederic Marchant Hayes, Wandsworth,

England, assignor to Th Company Limited,- Lon C omp any e Mullard Radiowval've-z don; Englandaaz British:

ApplicationNovember 9, 194 4, SeriaPNo: 62,652 In Great'Britain March 2; 1 943 Sectionli, Public Law 6.9.0, Augusts8 1946. v Patent-expires March.2,,19fi3 12 Claims.

Inglass. moulding machines it is necessary'for the interval between the introduction of the molten glass into the mould. or die, and. the application of moulding pressure, to be kept as short as-apossible. A150,. if metal components, such: as. pins serving'as lead-in and supports in the bases: ofelectric discharge tubes, are tobe mouldedin the glass they mustbe introduced intov the: die and pre-heated before the molten glass is introduced; It is then desirable for the interval between pre-heating of pins and. introduetionofmolten glas to beas short as possible. A. convenient form of glass-mouldingmachine is that in which-the'dies are caused-to traverse a closedpath along. which are spaced the individual working stations atwhich the different operations are performed.

The object of the present invention is to enable the dies to travel between successive work-- in stations at the speed appropriate to the operationsto be performed;

According to the present invention the working stations are respectively carried on carriagelike members which are arranged along acontinuous: track and the dies are freely carried by the-track and are conveyed by movement of the track in spaced-apart station, means being provided at" the said working stations for engaging a die-and causing relative movement between-that die and the moving track'whil'e' permitting continuing movement of the track for the conveyanceof non-engaged carriage-supported dies.

' Advantageously the-trackis circular and is driven at a constant speed, the dies which are respectively secured to the said carriage-like membersfreely-carried by thetrack participating in the movement except when engaged by other means associated with the machine and adapted to cause relative movement between the said carriage-like' members and therethrough the die or dies thus engaged and the track. It will be apparent thatthe, engaging means may consist of stops arresting the dies. at aselected statiom. al-

tematilvely the engaging means may be moved .iormof. an inner ringmember and an. outer'ring membenthe. two rings being separateandspaced from one another.

.45 automatically or manually to impart to the said I mentlis' impartedtoi the other. ring. byway of. the dieswhi'ch are. carriedby thetwo. rings.

In order that the inventionmay bemore readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which. show,. by. .way' of example, anembodiment. in whichthe machine is designedfor moulding glass bases, for electric discharge tubes with.lead.-in. and, support pins embedded in the.g'lass,.and thetrackconsistsof separate. innerv and outer. .rails, both positively driven. In, the drawings:.

Figures 1A. and lBtogether constitute. a, general plan view oi the. machine.

Fig. 2 is a. section. substantially. along. the line II II of..Fig..,.l,, buton a larger scale- Fig...3.1's, a fragmentary plan viewshowing the glass mouldingv stationpn a. larger scale than-in Rig. L

. Fig, 4. is a fragmentaryplan view showing. the gin inserting station. on a. larger scale than. in

Fig. 5 is. a fragmentary. elevation. corresponding taFig. .4.

Fi 6 is a..detail. section along. the live VI--I of Fig. 4..

The trackron which thedies are supported; and transported consists of. two concentric annular track member-s, namely an. outer track: member! and. an inner. track. member. 2, As .best seen. from Fig, 2, these track membersare so shapedas .to define an. annular. channel within which the, dies are supported... .In. the. construction shown, the outer surfaccof the. outer track member I is providedwithgear teeth3, andethe inner surface of the. inner track member 2, is. provided with gear teeth. 4. Theseteethfi, tmeshwith pinion. wheels 5., 6 respectively which. are. secured. on. shafts. .1, 8, the other ends. of which carry bevel gears 9,, l0 meshing with bevel gears H, 12 secured, on. a shaft l3 carrying a pulley I 4' to which. the. drive is. transmitted. by way. of, a. driving belt [5 from a suitable sourcesuch. as an. electric motor mount- .ed Qnthebase of the. machine,v The. gear trains 14,1 9, 5,, 3. and I2. 1 1,, 6;, 4 respectively are; so chosen. that the. two, track, members. I,. 2-. are causedt'o travelat. the same angular speed. about the, centre of. the. track system. To give. freemtation. of. the. tracks, they are, supported andcentredl'by rollerhearings l6. e p

Thediespropenpne ofwhich is shown at 18 in Figs. 4; and 5-,, areeachmounted-in. a carriage U :lliuhich is designed. so as to. lit in. the. track Preferably both. rings, are

driven each at fi n ular speedLbut. if-de- I, simdiona only e-driven..in.wh1ch.case movet5 channel. and; to be-supported, by the. inner, and uter track. members, I Each. carriage I1: is

ovidedlwithanfupstandihg. projection I9. near I carriage 21a.

tion at the top of Fig. 1A where it is held against movement on the tracks I, 2 by the stop 2 I. This stop is normally held in the operative position by a spring 22, but can be released by the operator at this station by means of-the release handle 23. At this station (the pin station), the lead-in and support pins which are to be moulded in the glass base are positioned in the die which has holes to receive and locate the pins. The pins may be inserted by hand or by any suitable mechanism. After the die l8 has been loaded with pins, the stop 2| is retracted and. due to the movement of the track rails, the die carriage I1 is conveyed in counter-clockwise direction in Fig, 1A to the next station which is the die and pin preheating station; This station occupies the bottom left of Fig. 1A and is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 3.

n reaching the die and pin preheating station the carriage ll is arrested by a stop arm 24 which extends across the track above the carriage and has a dependent end which normally lies in the path of the pin upstanding at the rear end of the carriage H; The arm 24 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 25 so that itv can be rocked to release the pin 2G to permit ,1

continued movement of the carriage H. When arrested by the arm 24, the carriage I! is so positioned that the die It thereon is located beneath a pre-heating gas burner 26 carried on a bracket 21. A further pro-heating gas burner 28 carried by a support 29 is also provided so that if a second carriage l'l arrives before the carriage IT at. the stop 24 is released, the die and pins in this carriage are likewise pre-heated. In this way it is ensured that both die and pins are adequately pre-heated to receive the molten glass. The movement of the carriage I! through the glass receiving and moulding station is controlled by the operator at this station by the mechanism which will now be described.

Slidable in an arcuate guide 28a, concentric with the track I, 2, is a carriage 21a on which is mounted an operators handle 25a. This handle 26a is pivoted on the carriage 21a and its forward end engages the tail of a further lever 29a which is likewise pivoted on the carriage 21a. The other end of the lever 2% extends over the track and is formed as a fork 30 adapted to embrace the upstanding projection l9 at the leading edge of the die carriage. The lever 29a is normally held in the projectionengaging position by a spring 31 but can be released by the operator by manipulation of the handle 26a. The carriage 21a also carries at its left-hand end (Fig. 1A) a trip member 32- which, when the carriage 21a is moved to the extreme left-hand endof the guide 2811, engages 'the stop arm 24 and lifts it to release the pin 20. However, the forked end 30 of the lever 28a on the carriage 2111 has already engaged the projection IS on the die carriage 11, so that the latter is coupled with the operator-controlled The operator then, moves the handle 26a into the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1A and 3. Here it is arrested by a fixed stop 33 on the guide 28a. In this position the die in the carriage I1 is immediately below the molten glass delivery so that a charge of molten glass is received by the die. In the absence of .4 between the two track members into a water bath and can be collected and re-melted in the conventional way. After the die has received the charge of molten glass, the operator actuates a release trip 36 (see Fig. 3) whereby the abutment 34a on the handle 26a which encountered the stop 33, is rotated about the shaft 35b to be released from engagement with said stop and the operator can move the carriage Zia into the moulding position, where the abutment 34a on the handle 26a is arrested by a fixed stop 35. In the drawing the moulding position is indicated by the two side guards 31. It is assumed that a plunger forming the complementary part of the mould is lowered on to the die It to exert the moulding pressure. The pressure plunger may be manually or mechanically actuated. In order that the application of the moulding pressure should not interfere with the movement of the rails i, 2, the carriage I! on being moved into the moulding position runs up on toa ramp 38 which supports it and prevents the moulding pressure from being transmitted to the rails I and 2. After the moulding operation, the operator releases the trip 34 and moves the handle 26a into its extreme righthand end position where a fixed abutment 36 encounters the lever 29a and rocks it to release the carriage H which is then carried by the moving rails 2 to the next station where the moulded base is ejected. While coupled with the handle 26a and thus under the control of the operator, the die carrier I! can be constrained to move at any desired speed from one position to the next, so that the movement may be slower than or more rapid than the movement of the tracks I, 2.

At the ejection station, the carriage H is arrested by a stop 39, similar to the stop 2| (Figs. 4 and 5). This stop 39 is normally in its operative position, but when the operator actuates a foot pedal 40 serving to operate the ejector mechanism whereby, in known manner, the

four dies and die carriers.

I claim: 1. Glass moulding apparatus, comprising means constituting a circular double-track having inner and outer track members providing a supporting channel portion therebetween, gearing means for moving said track, at least one carriage-like member being shaped to slip-drive fit in said channel so as to be moved by the members of the said double-track as said track member is moved by said gearing means, a die member mounted on said carriage member for movement therewith, control means mounted in spaced-apart relation adjacent to said track, said carriage-like member being provided with an upstanding projection portion near its leading edge thereof and an upstanding pin portion near its rear edge thereof, said control means including independently controlled elements movable into and. out of the path'of the said upstanding portions for controlling the movement of the said carriage-like member and said track. 2. Glass moulding apparatus, comprising the die, the glass drops straight through the gap"'75 -means constituting a circular track-formed by aromas separate=inner and outer *traoli" members-pr med; inga supporting channel th'ereb'etween; gearing means for moving the said track members, at last' one--carriage-like member-shaped to slip drive-fit 'in said'channel and to' be moved by the said? track members,- a die member mounted on said carriage-like member, manually selective control means" operativelydisposedi in spacedapart relation adjacent said track; said carriage l-ili'e member being providedwith an upstanding proj eotion near its leading edgethereof and an upstanding pirrnear its rear edge thereof', said control-' means including elements" selectively movable-out of the path of-th'e said upstandihg projection and said upstanding pin.

3? Glass moulding apparatus, comprising means constituting' a circular" double-track formed by an inner member and anz'outer'mem ber'sd as to provide channel therebetween, gearing means for moving at 1east one2 of the said track'members', at"least two carriage like members shaped to slip-drive fit one after the other in saidcl1annel, die' meansrespectively mounted on said carriage members-for move mentwith the said carriage-like members; and 5 'controlmeans disposed in spaced-apart relation around the said double-track; saidcarriage like members each provided with an upstanding projectionportionnear' the leading edge thereof and anupstanding m portion 'near'the-rear' edge thereof," said control means including manually actuated-- stop means movable into and" outof the-path of said upstanding portions;

' 4. Glass moulding apparatus, comprisingmov able" support means constituting" acircular double=track*formed by an inner'track member and'an outer track member collectively providing a channel-like supporting-portion therebetween, at least two similar carriage memberseach shaped to slip-drive fit in said channel in spacedapartrelation; die'members respectivelym'ounted on said carriage. -memhers.for .movement therewith around said track, andcontrol means positioned in spaced-apart relation around-the said track in an operative relation to-tl'ie' said track and to thesaid: carriage memberaasaid carriage members each provided with an upstanding projection portion near theleading edgethereof and aniupstan'dingpin portionnear therearedge thereof, and. means comprising afmanually1controlled; element for lifting the said'f carriage members to a position spaced abovetthesaid track during the application of moulding pressure to the associated "die member and :its con- .te'ntsm 5? Glass moulding apparatus; comprisingapircular double-track formed by separate inner and outer track members providing a support channel therebetween, gearing means to continuously drive said track members, a plurality of carriage members shaped to slip-drive fit in said channel in spaced-apart relation about said track, a plurality of dies respectively mounted on said carriage members for slip-drive movement therewith around said track, manually selective control elements mounted in spaced-apart relation around said track and normally stationary relative thereto, said carriage-like members each being provided with an upstanding projection portion near its leading edge and an upstanding pin portion near its rear edge, certain 01 said control elements including automatic and manual actuating portions selectively movable into and out of the path of the said upstanding portions.

6: Glass moulding mechanism comprisi i' double circular track provided with a channel recess betweenth'e inner and outer'portions 'of said-*double-track, gearing'means' to provide a constant drive 'for'said portions of said trackat least twocarriage-likemembers' shapedl to slip-drive'fit in the said channelrecess'normally in spaced-apart relation about'said track, atleast two the members respectively securely mounted on said carriage-like members for movement therewith about said circular track, -aplurality of sets of control means mounted in spaced apart" relation adjacent said track, certain" of said control means comprising stop element's "for controlling the movement of'each'one ofthe -said carriage members according to the saidspacing ofi'the said elements and thus the movement of each-of thesaiddies;

8: Glass moulding-- aparatus; comprising" a double" circular-track provided with a" supporting channel lil ze' recess between the inner" and outer portions of the said double-track, gearingrneans to provide a constant drive for said portions of saidtrack, a pluraiity, of" carriage like"members shaped to'slide-fit" insaid recess in spaced=apart relatiorrin" the said recess formed between the said tracks; die membersrespectively' mounted on the said carriages for movement about said tracktherewith; a plurality of" sets of normally stationarycontrol means'mounted adjacent said track in" spaced-apart relation" relative thereto; each ,of said carriage like members" provided with an upstanding projection portionnearthe lead ing 'edge' thereof. and" an upstanding'pirrportion near'the rear edge thereof, certainofsaidcon trol means" including manually controlled en= gaging elements afi'ecting the movement of cer= tain "of" said can'iagealike members and manually operated means'for lifting, said carriage members and therewith the associated dies from, the said track.

9. In a device of the class described, comprising means constituting a double circular track formed by a movable track member and a constantly driven track member arranged to provide a channel therebetween, gearing means for driving the said driven member, carriage-like members shaped to fit in said channel in spaced-apart relation, dies respectively secured to the said carriage-like members so as to move about said track therewith, manually selective control means adjacent to said track, said carriage-like members each being provided with an upstanding projection portion near its leading edge thereof and an upstanding pin portion near its rear edge thereof, said control means including carriage projection portion engaging elements for respectively blocking the movement of said carriages and thereby said dies without afiecting the movement of the said track and stop means being manually actuated to release certain said other carriage members.

1-0. Glass moulding machine, comprising mean providing a continuous double-track comprising a first track member and a second track member spaced apart, gearing means for moving the said track, carriage-like members shaped to slide-fit in the-space formed between said track members and to be moved by the said track members when said track members are moved by the said gearing means, means constituting a plurality of control assemblies arranged in spaced relation adjacent the said track, dies respectively mounted on said carriage-like members so as to be individually transported about said track one after the other, said carriage-like members each being provided with an upstanding projection portion near its leading edge thereof and an upstanding pin portion near its rear edge thereof, said spaced apart control assemblies being arranged at a pinassembly starting position, a pre-heating position, a pressure applying position, and an ejecting position, said assemblies including manually selective control elements for releasing said carriage members from the said starting station, stopping said carriage member under the said pre-heating station, and releasing the said carriage member so that the said associated die will be moved to the said pressure applying station, means for elevating the said carriage member relative to the said track at the said pressure station, and for returning the said carriage member to the said track so that the said carriage member will be moved to the said ejecting station, and further control means releasing the said carriage so that the said carriage member will be returned to the said starting position.

11. Glass moulding apparatus, comprising a. circular double-track, gearing means to provide a continuous drive for said track, a plurality of carriage-like members shaped to fit in the space formed between the said double-track so as to be supported by and to move therewith, a plurality of dies respectively mounted on said carriagelike members for movement therewith, and a plurality of groups of control elements positioned in spaced-apart relation along the track and in relative operative relation to each other, said carriage-like members each being provided with an upstanding projection near its leading edge and an upstanding pin near its rear edge for engaging said control elements, certain of said control elements groups being movable relative to each other and to the said track and including manually actuated elements selectively movable into the path of the said upstanding projection for progressively arresting and releasing the said carriage-like members and therethrough said dies.

12. Glass moulding mechanism, comprising a circular double-track, gearing means to provide a continuous drive for said track, a plurality of carriage-like members shaped to fit in the space formed between the said track so as to be moved in spaced-apart relation by the said track when said track is moved by the said gearing means, cooperatively related means constituting starting, pre-heating, pressure applying, and ejection control stations mounted in a predetermined spacedapart relation around the said track and in operative proximity relative thereto, a plurality of like dies respectively mounted on said carriagelike members for movement therewith, said control stations collectively including elements for selectively arresting a released carriage atthe said stations, each of said carriage-like members being provided with an upstanding projection portion near the leading edge thereof and an upstanding pin portion near the rear edge thereof, said elements being manually movable out of the path of the said upstanding projection and pin for releasing a carriage member at the said preheating station, ramp means to move said die by its carriage member onto the said pressure applying station thereby to be elevated above the said circular track, means to move the said carriage member on to the said track after the said pressure applying action thereby to permit the said track to move the said carriage and its associated carriage member to the ejecting station, and means to eject the contents of the die of the carriage member so positioned and to permit the said track to move the said carriage member and thereby the said die to the said starting station for positioning the said die at the said starting station.

CHARLES FREDERIC MARCHANT HAYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

